Insect-catching device.



F. C. YOUNG.

INSECT GATGHING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED 0012s, 1911.

1,033,975. Patented Ju1y3o,f1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l O S14/vamo@ fm1/m3,

uOLunxmA PLANuGR/um C0.. WASHINGTON, D, C.

F. C.. YOUNG.

INSBGT CATGHING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED 0013.28, 1911.

1,033,975. Patented July 30, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

j mi I;

- Fozmj,

FLETCHER c. YOUNG, or RAYMOND, MISSISSIPPI.

INSECTCATCHING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 28, 1911.

Patented July so, 1912.

Serial No. 657,205.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known-that I, FLETCHER C. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Raymond, in the county of Hinds and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insect-Catching Devices, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in insect destroyers and more particularly to a boll-weevil catcher, and my object is to provide a device of this character which may be readily drawn between the rows of cotton and cause the insects thereon to drop` therefrom onto the device and be carried away.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a device wherein the body portion or slides thereof are formed in sections adjustable with respect to one another, and still another 'object of the invention resides in providing a dividing wall between the sections formed of a screening material.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing catch rods on the device which are adapted to engage the cotton stalks and shake the same as the device is propelled between the rows, and a still further object resides in providing means for the adjustment of these catch rods to compensate for the differences in the width between rows on different fields.

A further object of the invention resides in providingV a devicel which is extremely simple in construction, thereby readily' and cheaply manufactured, one which is durable in construction and very eiicient and useful in operation.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specilication and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is al vertical section through the device as seen on line 3 3, Fig. 1, and, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the body portion or slides of the device in their open position and the catching receptacles or pans removed.

In carrying out my invention, I shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which- 1 indicates a frame comprising a central longitudinal bar 2, a pair of longitudinal side bars 3 and 4 and an end bar 5. The end bar 5 is permanently secured to the side bar 3, and said latter side bar is further held in parallel spaced alinement from said central bar throughout its lengt-h by the transverse bars 6 whichare secured to the longitudinal bars 2 and 3, respectively, and extend beyond the central bar 2 to points immediately adjacent the side bar 4. These bars may be formed offany desired material, whatsoever, preferably metal, the side bar 4 being pivoted adjacent its forward end to the end bar 5, as shown at 7, and said side bar 4 is provided with a plurality of transverse bars 8 which are adapted to rest freely on the central bar 2, and when said bar 4 is in parallel alinement throughout its length with the central bar, the free ends of said transverse bars 8 are disposed immediately adjacent the opposite sidebar 3.

From the construction just described, it will be seen that the frame 1 is formed in sections, the one section being movable with respect to the other, in view of the fact that the side bar 4 is pivoted to the end bar 5, and in order to retain said side bar 4 in its substantial-closed position or in any other adjusted openl position, the arcuate rack 9 is provided adjacentwthe rear end of the side bar 4 which extends through a keeper l() on the longitudinal bar 2, the teeth of which are adapted to be engaged by a spring-held pawl or detent 11. The side bar 4 may, therefore, be opened to any degree or closed and may be retained in its adjusted position through this last referred to means. This frame 1, composed of the various longitudinal and transverse bars, as described, is elongated and adapted to be drawn along the surface of the ground, the sidebars 3 and 4 forming slides or the like therefor, and mounted on thecentral longitudinal bar 4 adjacent its front and rear ends, are the standards 12 and 13, respectively, said standards forming the ends of a frame which carries a wire screen wall14.

Depending fromthe longitudinal lower bar 15 of the frame carrying the wire screen, is a post or the like 16 which extends to a point a short distance above the tended beyond the rear standard 13 to be grasped by an operator, whereby the device may be moved forward or guided over the desired territory. These handle members extend on opposite sides of the wall 14 andk are braced by means of the brace rods 18 which extend from said handle members to a pin .or bolt 19 which is adjustably mounted in the lower end of the rear standard 13, whereby said handle members may be raised or lowered with respect thereto.

As stated, the side bar 4L is adjustable with respect to the other' portions of the frame 1 and adapted to be mounted on said frame between the longitudinal side bars, is an elongated pan or receptacle 20 which may be filled with any desired insect'eXterminating substance, and i-t will be appreciated that when properly seated upon the frame 1 and the longitudinal bar t brought to its closed position, said pan will be securely retained on the frame.

The-end bar 5 has secured thereto, a draw bar 21 which carries a swingletree or the like (not shown) whereby a draft may be applied to the frame so as to draw the device over the ground, and in order to provide means for the engagement of the cotton or other stalks as the device is propelled so as to shake the insects therefrom, 1 provide the laterally extending catch rods 23. These rods are somewhat arcuate in design and extend laterally from both sides of the longitudinal bar 15 so that as the device is drawn forwardly between the rows, the same will engage the stalks, thereby shaking the same and causing the insects to drop therefrom into the pan 20, and in order to provide means whereby these rods will always engage the stalks, no matter how great the space between the rows, the same are made adjustable. In making these rods adjustable, the same are telescoped, as shown at 24E, and a setscrew 25 extending through `the i outer section thereof retains the sections of whichthe insects are adapted to be removed.

The operator will, ofcourse, determine the width of the space between the Qrows and adjust the rods or arms 23 accordingly, and

as the device is driven forwardly between said rows, said arms or rods 23 willA contact withY the stalks, Vwhich are preferably cotton, to move the same 'and shake the insects therefrom. As these stalks are sha-ken, eers certain others will be shaken against the screen wall 111 from where they will drop downwardly to the pan therebelow, and as said pan is adapted to contain an insect eX- terminating substance, it will be seen that said insects will be caught andexterminated at the same time. When the pan has become sufficiently filled and it is -desired to yempty the same, the side bar l .of the frame may be readily moved out-w-ardly by the release of the pawl 11 from engagement wit-h the teeth of the rack .9, whereupon the pan may be removed from the frame and the contents emptied therefrom.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that 'l' have provided an improved insectv extermir11-ating device, which is particularly adapted for the extermination o-f boll-weevils from cotton stalks wherein a body portion which is adapted to slide over the surface o-f the ground, is formed in sections adapted to retain therebetween a pan, and furthermore, it will be seen that 1 have provided a central wall above the pan, from which extend the lateralarms or catch rods to engage the stalks to `cause the insects therefrom to drop upon the pan therebelow after the device is drawn forwardly. Furthermore, it will be seen that l have provided means for the adjustment of :the laterally extending arms or catch rods, whereby the same are adapted to engage stalks of two row-s, no matter what the distance between the same may be. 1t will still further be seen that the Idevice is one of simple and durable construction, whereby the same maybe readily and cheaply manufactured, and is extremely efficient and useful in operation.

While 1 have shown a single pan 2O in connection with this device, it will be understood that, if desired, a pair of pans may be piwldcd ci subsiwltuted for tnis single pan, and in the use of such a pair of pans, it will be appreciated that the one will be substantially immovable, in view of its being mounted on the portion of the frame which is stationary, while the other pan will be substantially' movable, being mounted on that portion of the frame which is adapted to be moved. 1n this connection, it might valso be stated that Vvarious changes in form,

proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resortedto without departing from the spirit or' sacrificing any of th principles lofy the invention.

V1. An insect catch-ing device comprising a base portion adaptedjto' slide onthe surface of the ground, said base Ybeing formed in ksect-ions pivoted one to V"the other, means for the retention of said sections together, a receptacle securely -heldbetween/ the sections of base, a central longitudinalwallcarried on the base above the receptacle thereon, and a plurality of arms extending laterally from said wall..

2. An insect catching device comprising a base adapted to move on the surface of the ground, said base being formed in sections pivoted one to the other, means for the retention of said sections together, a receptacle resting on said base and securely held between the sections thereof, a wall extending longitudinally of the base above said receptacle, a plurality of arms extending laterally from said wall, and means for the adjustment of said arms.

3. An insect catching device comprising a base adapted to move on the surface of the ground, said base being formed .in sections pivoted one to the other, means for the retention of said sections together, a receptacle securely held on said base between the sections thereof, a wall extending longitudinally of the base and above said receptacle, a plurality of laterally extending arms carried on said wall, and means for the adjustment of said arms.

4. An insect catching device of the class described, comprising a base adapted to- FLETCHER C. YOUNG. Witnesses T. D. McMANUs, J. M. HEITMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

